Ming East India Company

In the late autumn of the thirty-seventh year of the Wanli reign, exactly thirty days after the secret meeting in Huai'an.

The Jiangnan region boasts vast waterways, with the Songjiang Estuary stretching to the horizon where the river rushes swiftly into the sea. The recent favorable weather, with light mists and calm winds, has made it an ideal time for river-sea transshipment.

Since Li Sancai issued the secret order, a full month has passed, and the grain transported from the disaster-stricken prefectures of Suzhou, Songjiang, Jiaxing, and Huzhou has been quietly gathered, bypassing the inspection at the sluice gates along the Grand Canal, and has been collected in the vicinity of Chongming in Songjiang.

Three hundred thousand shi of refined rice were transported in batches by Li Sancai's private fleet without being registered in the warehouse. They were quietly stockpiled at the Chongmingzhou anchorage outside the Songjiang Estuary, day and night.

This area, with its crisscrossing waterways and numerous sandbars, teeming with merchant ships and fishing boats, is the most bustling and secretive place where the river meets the sea in Jiangnan. With government inspectors neglecting thorough checks and imperial spies finding no foothold, it became the perfect setting for this cross-court smuggling trade.

As the sun sets, the setting sun paints the vast river red, and the evening breeze ripples across the surging waters.

As dusk deepened, a dark mass of ships slowly broke through the fog on the distant East China Sea horizon, approaching steadily from afar with an orderly formation and a calm demeanor, heading toward the designated anchorage at Songjiangkou.

The flag flying high at the bow was neither the official flag of the Ming Dynasty nor the flag of a foreign vassal state, but simply the plain flag of the Jiangnan merchant guild with its water-pattern design. The flag fluttered in the sea breeze, making it look like an ordinary merchant ship, but in reality, it was an elite ocean-going fleet personally selected by Bai Ye.

On the deck of the lead ship, Cheng Keqin, dressed in a blue outfit, stood tall and straight, leaning against the railing.

As a trusted confidant who had followed Baiye for many years, Cheng Keqin had always been in a semi-retired state in Ryukyu, indulging in eating, drinking and having fun, and had never been interested in military campaigns or territorial expansion. He only acted when Baiye gave him instructions.

For this grain transport by sea, Bai Ye thought of Cheng Keqin, who was well-versed in river and sea routes, and was the perfect person to be in charge of maritime transport.

This northward journey to deliver 300,000 shi of grain marks the first time Ryukyu has formally taken over the Ming Dynasty's official grain transport and intervened in the dynasty's financial lifeline, which is of extraordinary significance.

Cheng Keqin's gaze was calm as he looked at the densely packed fleet of ships anchored at the mouth of the Songjiang River. His eyes were devoid of any emotion, only filled with careful calculation and estimation.

Within sight, dozens of large, uniformly designed inland waterway cargo ships were moored on the river. The ships were plain, without official seals, sails without cargo markings, or garrison marks on the bows; they were Li Sancai's carefully orchestrated private cargo fleet.

The person in charge of the fleet appointed by Li Sancai was Zhao Zhong, a close confidant who had followed him for over ten years. Zhao Zhong had grown up in the household since childhood, and after Li Sancai passed the imperial examinations, he also rose in rank to become a steward in the household.

Normally, he only handles all of Li Sancai's private business affairs, including lending money, buying land, accepting gifts from subordinates, bribing superiors, and other shady dealings.

He is tight-lipped, meticulous, and steady in his actions, making him the executor Li Sancai trusts most.

Seeing the ocean-going fleet arrive as scheduled, Zhao Zhongli stood at the bow of the lead ship and raised his hand to signal a set of secret flag signals.

The only signal for communication between the two sides, agreed upon beforehand, was to communicate on the river when there was no wind and to use flags.

Cheng Keqin immediately ordered his men to return to the banner and respond.

In the blink of an eye, the two fleets from the river and the sea had confirmed their identities and exchanged the secret code.

Night completely enveloped the Songjiang Estuary, with fishing lights dotting both banks. A cool evening breeze blew across the river, and the tide rose slowly, making it the perfect time to load boats and set sail.

Zhao Zhong boarded the main ship of the East China Sea in a small boat. Upon seeing Cheng Keqin, he bowed respectfully and spoke in a low, solemn tone:

"Master Cheng, the 300,000 shi of grain have all been gathered. It is all the regular quota of fine rice for the four prefectures of Suzhou and Songjiang this year, and the amount has been prepared in full as agreed. It is stored in more than 70 grain transport ships. Please take a look."

Cheng Keqin nodded slightly and asked in a deep voice:

"Was there any trace of them throughout the entire process? Were there any government investigations or outsiders spying on them?"

"The adults have set up extremely tight defenses."

Zhao Zhong replied in a low voice,

"All grain ships traveled on inland tributaries, avoiding the main river gate inspections, the river administration, and the eyes and ears of the prefectures and counties. The area within ten miles of Songjiangkou was secretly patrolled by the servants of the officials."

Under the guise of facilitating His Majesty's fishing expeditions, the officials dispersed unauthorized fishing boats and prevented merchant ships from approaching. For the past thirty days, no one has spied on them, and the entire process has proceeded without incident.

After hearing the report, Cheng Keqin was completely relieved.

Li Sancai held a high-ranking position in the region and had full authority over the Grand Canal transport. His private power base, built up over decades, was indeed as solid as a rock. This earth-shattering deal was kept completely secret from the very beginning of its planning.

"In that case, start work immediately, load the goods onto the ship overnight, and make sure all the goods are delivered before dawn, then set sail separately."

At a single command, the sailors of the East China Sea fleet quickly got to work, each fulfilling their assigned duties.

Large ocean-going vessels were steadily moored outside the inland waterway cargo ships, their decks level and their openings joined together. Countless strong sailors moved back and forth, passing and carrying grain sacks layer by layer.

The night was deep, the river murmured softly, and the only sounds at the mouth of the Songjiang River were the faint footsteps, the rustling of grain sacks, and the lapping of boats in the river. There was no noise, no bright lights, and no unusual activity.

To avoid attracting attention, both sides used only dimly lit lanterns throughout the entire process. The lights were kept low and the shadows were concealed, so from a distance, it looked just like an ordinary merchant ship unloading cargo at night. No one would have guessed that this was the handover of 300,000 shi of core grain to the Ming Dynasty.

Three hundred thousand shi of fine rice was a huge quantity, and it would take ordinary government cargo ships three to five days to complete the loading and unloading.

But Bai Ye had anticipated this and prepared winches and chains for each ship in advance. With the assistance of all the shipwrights under Li Sancai, the two groups of people worked together day and night, with clear division of labor and continuous shifts.

Overnight, a vast amount of grain was continuously transferred from private river transport boats to ocean-going vessels in the East China Sea.

One bag, a hundred bags, a thousand bags—mountains of polished rice filled the sealed, moisture-proof cargo hold of the Ryukyu ship.

At midnight, more than half of the transactions had been completed.

As the hour of Yin drew to a close and the first light of dawn appeared in the east, the 300,000 shi of grain, in full and without any loss, was loaded onto the seagoing ships.

At the moment the transaction was completed, Zhao Zhong took out the secret accounts that the two parties had agreed upon and verified them one by one with Cheng Keqin. The amounts matched perfectly, without the slightest discrepancy.

"The three hundred thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) have all been delivered," Zhao Zhong reported in a deep voice.

Looking at the full hold of fine grain, Cheng Keqin was filled with emotion.

From then on, the Grand Canal transport system of the Ming Dynasty was no longer solely under the control of the imperial court. This vital lifeline of the dynasty's finances, which had lasted for two hundred years, was quietly breached.

A steady stream of government grain would flow through the Songjiang Estuary into the East China Sea, nourishing Ryukyu, the refugees in the East China Sea, and the overseas base of Hakuno.

After expressing his feelings, Cheng Keqin immediately ordered the ship to set sail.

The fleet split into two.

The first fleet, consisting of ten ships carrying 100,000 shi of grain, set sail eastward towards Ryukyu! Report to the master immediately.

The second echelon, consisting of twenty naval vessels carrying 200,000 shi of grain, headed north, directly to Dagu Port in Tianjin!

The previous agreement with Li Sancai was that as long as 200,000 shi of grain were transported to the capital, Li Sancai would keep track of how much the Taicang Revenue Department people wanted to take advantage of, and it would not be included in the losses on the Ryukyu side.

Therefore, Cheng Keqin only sent 200,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) and the rest was taken by Ryukyu.

Moreover, Zhang Yu and Li Sancai had discussed this year's situation. With the Jiangnan region experiencing severe flooding and widespread famine, those corrupt officials in the Ministry of Revenue, if they had any sense, would not have resorted to plunder and extortion at such a time.

After all, if the grain tribute is not delivered in full, they will be the first to lose their heads.

In theory, shipping usually involves increasing cargo volume to prevent ships from being swept away by storms. However, Cheng Keqin believes that since the fleet operates as a group, no one can escape if a storm occurs, so there is no need to take extra precautions.

The order was relayed to all the ships, and the sailors quickly adjusted the sails, corrected the course, and tidied the anchor chains.

On the vast Songjiang Estuary, the massive East China Sea fleet immediately split into two groups.

The eastern fleet, bathed in the first rays of dawn, broke through the thin mist on the river and sailed towards the depths of the East China Sea. One hundred thousand shi of fine grain would be safely transported back to the Ryukyu Islands to replenish the national treasury, store disaster relief provisions, appease displaced people, and thoroughly solidify the foundation of Ryukyu.

The northern fleet was even more heavily armed, with heavy ships and vigilant sailors. Carrying 200,000 shi of official grain, it slowly turned its bows and headed north with the tide, heading straight for Tianjin in the Bohai Sea.

Twenty-seven days later, the massive fleet safely arrived off the coast of Dagukou, Tianjin.

Looking out, the Bohai Sea is shrouded in a thick, cold mist, and the outline of the Tianjin coastline is faintly visible.

The riverbank forts were scattered and the beacon towers were deserted. There were very few naval patrol boats moored. Occasionally, a patrolman would board a boat to look into the distance, but he would only give a cursory glance at the near-shore river surface and would not notice the fleet in the thick fog.

During the Wanli reign, the northern defenses focused heavily on land rather than sea. The heavy military presence along the nine borders exhausted the nation's resources, while the coastal defenses of the capital region were neglected for decades. The troop numbers were inflated, the warships were dilapidated, and the military preparedness was lax, leaving no trace of the imposing atmosphere that once protected the capital.

Cheng Keqin stood at the bow of the main ship, looking calmly at the Tianjin coastal defenses that were so close at hand.

Even as the fleet departed, Luo Sigong's personal letter, along with generous gifts prepared by Donghai, had already been delivered to the Tianjin General's residence.

Ni Shangzhong had a past relationship with Luo Sigong. In his early years, he struggled in the Beijing garrison and it was only through Luo Sigong's repeated recommendations that he was able to obtain the power to control the coastal defense.

Moreover, in recent years, the northern border troops have been in arrears with their food and pay, the Ministry of Revenue has been slow to allocate funds, and the soldiers in Tianjin are exhausted, their weapons are not being repaired, and their military equipment is extremely scarce.

The Ryukyu Kingdom sent only a little over two thousand taels of silver, yet it still managed to get through to Ni Shangzhong.

At this moment, inside the coastal defense camp at Dagukou, Ni Shangzhong, dressed in military uniform, stood atop the watchtower at the pass, gazing out to sea with a calm and expressionless face.

Before entering the Haihe River, Cheng Keqin's special envoy had already landed by sampan and communicated with Ni Shangzhong.

Ni Shangzhong knew that this matter couldn't be known by too many people; the more people who knew, the more spoils he would get.

After a moment's thought, he immediately devised a plan.

That afternoon, the coastal defense battalion at Dagu Port in Tianjin, the estuary patrol fleet, and the garrison troops at the beacon towers along the coast all received orders from the General:

"Winter is bitterly cold, and guarding the border is arduous. This year, the canal transport is about to end and there are no pirates on the sea. All soldiers in the town are granted a three-day leave to take turns leaving the camp to rest, buy food and clothing, and visit their families."

Only a handful of men remained at each beacon tower for lookout duty, and all patrol boats returned to port and anchored, suspending their sea patrols.

When the order was issued, the entire army cheered.

The border troops of Tianjin Garrison were always poorly paid and their garrison life was hard. They rarely had a long period of rest. No one noticed anything unusual, and the soldiers packed their things and left the camp in groups.

Within half a day, nine out of ten coastal defense fortresses along the Dagukou Pass were deserted. All the elite patrolmen had left their camps, leaving only the old, weak, and disabled soldiers to perfunctorily guard the area. Even the beacon towers on the shore were unattended.

The Tianjin coastal defenses, stretching for hundreds of miles and serving as a grand gateway to the capital, were rendered useless in an instant.

Cheng Keqin, who was observing from the open sea, quickly learned the news through his undercover contacts and understood the situation.

Ni Shangzhong's plan was extremely clever. He did not collude with others, disobey orders, or give instructions. He simply followed the usual practice of showing consideration for the soldiers and thus legitimately withdrew all coastal defense inspections.

Even if the court reviews the case later and someone impeaches the official, it can only be attributed to lax military affairs, and no evidence can be found of any illicit overseas dealings or unauthorized release of cargo ships.

The time has come; there is no need for a moment's hesitation.

Cheng Keqin immediately issued the following order:

"Everyone will transfer to inland river barges and immediately enter the port for a direct voyage on the Haihe River!"

The Ryukyu ships remained stationary in the deep sea, and 200,000 shi of grain were quickly transferred to more than 100 flat-bottomed barges modeled after those of the Ming Dynasty.

Taking advantage of the weakened defenses at Dagukou and the lack of inspection, over a hundred grain ships sailed in formation, calmly entering the main channel of the Haihe River. The elderly and weak soldiers on duty along the riverbank were lazy and weary. Seeing that they were ordinary inland waterway cargo ships, they were too lazy to board and inspect them, assuming that the soldiers on the cargo ships were just passing by doing business. They all turned their heads to avoid the cold and ignored them.

The journey was smooth and unimpeded, and the fleet successfully entered the North Port of the Grand Canal.

At this time, it was the end of the winter canal transport season. On the waterway from Tianjin to Tongzhou, thousands of canal transport boats were densely packed together, one after another, with sails like clouds and oars blocking the river. It was the most prosperous, chaotic and mixed time of the year for the canal transport fleet.

Official boats, civilian boats, barges, and transport boats crowded the entire waterway. The patrol office was severely understaffed and could only conduct spot checks on the large official boats, leaving no time to attend to the densely packed small and medium-sized barges.

Cheng Keqin seized the opportunity and ordered the fleet to disperse and drift with the current, blending into the northbound cargo fleet, moving at a steady and slow speed, without making a fuss.

The hundred grain ships immediately broke up their formation, no longer lined up neatly, and weaved into the official grain transport fleet heading north in twos and threes.

With old river transport boats from Jiangnan blocking the way in front and local grain transport boats from Zhili clustered behind, and densely packed official grain transport vessels on both sides, the Ryukyu-converted inland grain ships instantly disappeared into the vast and mighty tide of grain transport, without a sound or abruptness.

All the sailors on the ship changed into the plain clothes of Ming Dynasty shipwrights, and were no different from ordinary porters.

During the river patrol, the officers glanced at the fleet of boats, treating them as ordinary transport barges, without even stopping to take a closer look.

Cheng Keqin was experienced and even deliberately had someone bring out prepared salt and pepper to trade privately with the officers and soldiers patrolling along the river.

This completely lulled the other side into a false sense of security. They thought these canal workers were just taking advantage of the canal transport to do some small business, eating government food and running their own camels.

Heading north, passing through Wuqing, Xianghe, and Zhakou, all the checkpoints along the way were practically useless.

Traveling along the river by day and mooring at river bends by night, it steadily moved forward in complete accordance with the official canal transport schedule.

The journey, which would normally take four or five months by river, was expedited by sea and downstream by inland waterways, and they were able to approach Tongzhou in just a few days.

The fertile fields on both sides of the river are desolate, and the winter wind is biting. In the distance, the outline of the Tongzhou granary gradually becomes clear.

Cheng Keqin stood at the bow of the ship, looking at the rows of warehouses and docks ahead, and a huge weight was lifted from his heart.

The fleet slowly entered the Tongzhou port area, mingling with a large number of cargo ships, and steadily anchored to await unloading.